Mating Brand(6)

“Not happening,” he groaned. “I might not be the friendliest bastard but I’m not desperate either.”

The phone rang as he reached the master bathroom to take his shower. He paused and waited as the answering machine clicked on.

“Brand? It’s Melissa.” The woman paused. “The guy I agreed to hook up with chose another bitch who wiggled her tail at him.” Anger deepened her voice. “I thought since that fell through that maybe you and I could get together instead. I figured you’d still be available. I hate this time of year, don’t you? Hey, it beats batteries, right? Give me a call back soon or I’ll find someone else.” She hung up.

“Right,” he muttered. “I’m so flattered to be your second choice and better than a vibrator. You thinking of some other guy while I’m nailing you is such a turn-on.” He snorted. “I’ll pass.”

He flicked on the bathroom light and quickly shoved down his sweatpants. He twisted the lever to cold, hoping the chilling spray sluicing down his body would cool his heated blood.

He glanced down at his dick, which refused to soften, and clenched his teeth. He hated mating heat, detested how once a year he kept a constant boner and wished he were a woman. They had it slightly easier. They suffered severe horniness but it wasn’t painful, didn’t drive them out their minds or make them turn into pitiful creatures who jacked off frantically to anything flashing skin, even on television.

He shook his head and tipped it back under the icy blast of water. He knew it wouldn’t work. His cock seemed to have a pulse and a growl tore from his throat. His balls ached too. He quickly washed his hair, turned off the water and snatched a towel off the rack.

The phone rang again. He tilted his head as he dried off while avoiding his middle and perked up when his ex-girlfriend’s voice met his ears. Hope soared that she might want to spend time with him. She was pretty, made him laugh, and he’d had a good time with her until she’d cheated on him with another wolf and insisted that he was to blame. It wasn’t a match made in heaven but he’d take it during mating heat.

“Hey, stranger. Um, this may be a bit awkward but I know you’re still single. My grandma hasn’t gone through menopause yet and well, hell, you’ve got to be hard up since most know to avoid you after learning you’re not looking for anything lasting. She’s been reading these books about cougars. That’s what they call older women who fuck younger guys. She always thought you were hot and wondered what it would be like having a young stud go after her again. She was totally excited when I shared how good in bed you are. I told her you’d be flattered she wants you and you’d go for it. You remember where she lives, right? Just go over there and she’ll take care of you during the heat. You’re welcome!”

Brand dropped the towel, horrified. A memory of Jackie’s grandmother flashed through his mind. The woman had to be past a hundred and actually looked like someone’s grandma. She had baked cookies for the occasion when she’d met her granddaughter’s “nice young man”. He remembered her using a walker to get around after breaking her hip when she’d lost a fight with a bear she’d encountered in the woods. The idea of doing her made his cock lower slightly. He peered down. It remained hard but he could see a little difference until it perked right back up.

“Goddamn it!” he roared. “I’d rather hump a pillow! I hate mating heat!”

He snarled as he stormed to the nightstand and yanked the drawer open in his haste to grab a bottle of lotion. “Her grandmother. Shit. That’s just mean.” The memory of the older woman flashed again and he paused. “No damn way.” He’d rather meet up with Peggy, though he was certain she would try to get him hot enough to lose his mind until he bit into her to seal the mating deal. She’d own him then, her and the nine pups he’d have to care for. He’d be mated and destined to be nothing more than her checkbook and pup wrangler. “I hate my damn life.”

He threw his ass on the bed, opened the lotion bottle and was about to tip it to pour a generous amount into his palm when the phone rang again. He paused. He needed to ease the tension inside his body. He had to get off to stop the pain that had become nearly unbearable.

“Who’s next? Someone trying to shove their three-legged cousin at me? Maybe someone’s going to ask me if I’m hard up enough to do barn animals?”

“Brand? Pick up now,” Jeff ordered. “We have a situation.”

He lunged across the bed, dropping the lotion. He jerked the phone from the cradle to shove it against his ear. “What’s wrong?” Something bad had to have happened for an enforcer on duty to call.